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H SPECIAL EDITION: CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2014 H
County Record Vol. 56 No. 7
The Community Newspaper of Orange, Texas
Week of Wednesday, May 28 , 2014
Carlton, Burton win Republican vote really about trying to get our people out again to vote,” he said. He further thinks Orange County needs to make some big changes. “I think that’s what the people elected me to do. I ran on
David Ball
For The Record
A newcomer to the Orange County political scene is now the new county judge. Brint Carlton, an attorney in the Orange County District Attorney’s office, won the Republican Party Primary run-off election Tuesday night over challenger John Dubose. Dubose is an accountant and former Precinct 3 county commissioner. With no Democratic opponent in the General Election in November, Carlton is the new county judge. The final vote count was Carlton with 2,971 votes and 53.45 percent of the vote to Du-
Brint Carlton
Barry Burton
bose’s 2,587 votes and 46.55 percent of the vote for at total vote of 5,558. Early vote results were Carlton with 1,831 votes and 51.50 percent to Dubose with 1,724 votes and 48.50 percent and a total vote count of 3,555. There were 32 under votes. “It was a very close race. Both me and Mr. Dubose have a lot of good qualities to a lot of supporters,” Carlton said. “We were both really anxious to win. We both had a lot of good things to offer. The people just had to make their choice on
who they wanted.” Carlton said it’s been a long campaign for him and it’s something he’s been thinking about doing since last July. “For us, it’s been going on for almost a year and I’m happy it’s done now and not carry one (until November),” he said. Carlton thinks the reason for his victory was a matter of getting people out to vote. “We’ve spent a lot of time making calls and using social media. We didn’t focus a whole lot on advertising. We did some the last couple of weeks. It was
OC resident Steve Beatlemania Bisson OC women travels appeals long and winding road for help to Liverpool Steve Bisson, a 1974 Bridge City High School graduate, is on a waiting list. A waiting list for people that can’t wait, but still have to. He knows the folks at St. Lukes are working really hard to find a liver to transplant into his body. But now he is not only running out of time, but also, running out of money. Steve has to drive back and forth to Houston all the time for his medical needs. He has no one to help him and now he can not afford to pay his doctor bills. Please, if you can donate to help Steve, call or go to Firestone Credit Union (409-697-2461) where an account has been set up under Steve Bisson, or call him at home at 409-735-5914.
David Ball
For The Record
A 50-year dream has come true for two Beatles fans and former Mauriceville residents. This Fab Two, Raejean ClarkGerman and Tanyia Strickland-Barnwell, promised themselves when they were eight and nine they would one day visit Liverpool, England, birthplace of the Beatles. “We are big, huge, fans,” Strickland-Barnwell said. “We’ve talked about it all of our lives. We didn’t want to talk about the trip before so it wouldn’t be jinxed.” Both women watched the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, screaming to each other on the phone. The two even had secret signals between themselves about the
Beatles. They also made a fan club where members had to know all the words of the Beatles song to gain admittance. The closest they came to Liverpool before the trip were Beatles conventions in Houston and attending Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr concerts. ClarkGerman’s daughter, Lacy, lives in Manchester, England and she was expecting to deliver her baby on April 30. The Texas duo left for the UK on April 13. “So this was the sign that the time was here. It was our ‘Ticket to Ride’- finally!” ClarkGerman said. They flew to London bringing a life-sized Paul McCartney (Flat Paul) drawing that
BEATLEMANIA Page 3A
H • SHERLOCK BREAUX Page...................... 4A • Obituaries Page......................4B •Dicky Colburn Fishing...................1B • CHURCH NEWS Page................ ......5B • CLASSIFIED ADS Page......................6B
Tanya Strickland-Barnwell and Raejean Clark-German’s dream came true when they visited Liverpool, bithplace of the Baetles.
that as part of my platform. I’m willing to make the tough decisions,” Carlton said. The first order of business is to make sure our budget is squared away, he said. “I won’t be taking office until January of 2015 and this cur-
rent Fiscal Year budget will be completed by Judge (Carl) Thibodeaux and the commissioners. It’s still a likely possibility we’ll be facing a deficit in January,” Carlton said.
ELECTION Page 3A
Todd Landry and his wife DaWanna, received the runner-up award for the Area 4 Soil Water Conservation District Conservation Farmer of the Year on May 6 in Jacksonville. Landry owns Big Daddy’s Crawfish in Orange and won the award for his water conservation use on his farm.
Conservation award
lagniappe for local crawfish David Ball
For The Record
Big Daddy can add another feather into his cap as he turns the reins of his business over to his son. Todd Landry, an Orange crawfish farmer and owner of Big Daddy’s Crawfish was honored as runner-up Conservation Farmer of the Year during the Area 4 Soil Water Conservation District Awards Banquet on May 6 in Jacksonville. Larry Peveto with SWCD said Landry sent in his information to the organization. He was named for the award because of his conservation methods. “He uses a lot of rainwater and canals to water his farm. We look at the size and scope of his operation. His farm is a pretty good size and he uses a lot of conservation,” Peveto said. Categories in which awards are presented include Outstanding Conservation District, Conservation Rancher, Conservation Farmer, Friend of Conservation, Wildlife Conservationist and Forestry Conservationist. Peveto explained the purpose of the conservation award program is to recognize and honor Soil and Water Conservation Districts and individuals who have dedicated their time, efforts and talents to making use of renewable natural resources.
In addition to selling live crawfish, Big Daddy’s also sells one-pound packages of frozen crawfish tail meat. Landry got his start in crawfish while growing up in Louisiana. His father would buy good and clean crawfish from Lawrence Heining. Landry moved Southeast Texas 28 years ago. He first worked construction for 10 years and then was hired on at DuPont Sabine River Works in Orange on October 1991 where he retired in October 2013. He also serves as an elder at The Cowboy Church in Orange County. His son Paeton, serves as operations manager for Big Daddy’s and is taking over the business. “I’m real proud of him,” Landry said. His wife, of 17 years, DaWanna, currently teaches Kindergarten at Hatton Elementary in Bridge City and she will be retiring soon too. She helped build the business as well. “We were buying crawfish and the quality was not nearly as good as when I was growing up in Louisiana. I told her to take an acre of our land and we built a crawfish pond,” he said. “Friends in Louisiana asked us to sell crawfish for them in Texas. The stipulation was we would sell only good, quality crawfish; not poor quality.” Landry said their business
was based on that philosophy. They would sack 25 to 30 pounds a week at first, making sure the quality stayed consistent. The inferior crawfish were sent back to Louisiana numerous times. Landry said he’s still learning something about crawfish everyday. Sometimes, fish, turtles, eels and even snakes are found in the crawfish traps. “Me and my wife totally turned our business over to the Lord. We’re just along for the ride. We’ve made it through life with that work ethic. Yes sir and no ma’am and your parents teaching on right and wrong can get you a long way through life,” he said. After he retires from Big Daddy’s, Landry plans to enjoy spending time with his seven grandsons. Big Daddy’s Crawfish is located at 10707 Bessie Heights Road in Orange off of FM 1442. Their phone number is 409-6708821 and their e-mail address is bigdaddyslivecrawfish@yahoo.com. Other Sabine-Neches SWCD award winners are: Shay Singleton of the Vidor FFA, Kayla Boyett and Wyatt Powell of the Orangefield FFA in the Essay Contest and Chase Caswell of the Orangefield FFA in the Speaking Contest. Poster winners are Emma Singleton, Ester Saldana and Hunter Keddy.
Bearden Law Firm JIm Sharon Bearden, Jr.
beardenlawfirm.net
883-4501